Chestnut-rumped Babbler

Large, generally drab rail, of coastal salt lagoons and mangrove forests. Dull grayish-brown overall with few contrasting features; faintly barred gray-and-white on sides and pale orange bill. Listen for series of harsh "kek" notes or loud, rasping grunts erupting from marsh.

A strange, chunky rusty-brown forest babbler with a white face and throat, pale blue-gray eyes, and a pale bill, rendering it unmistakable. Juvenile has a browner throat. Family groups of 5–12 move quickly and noisily through the canopy and middle levels of montane forest between 1000 and 2100 meters of elevation, dangling upside down or behaving like nuthatches, investigating moss, ferns, and bark for food. Groups give harsh grating calls mingled with sweeter nasal “nyeeer” notes. 

Medium-sized brown, heavily streaked seedeater. Note the boldly marked face with one dark brown mark across the ears and another below the bill. The distinctive subspecies found in southern Tanzania and Malawi has a yellow wash across the face. Generally common at middle and high elevations in a variety of open habitats including gardens, cultivation, scrub, heath, and forest edge. Gives a pretty, musical up-and-down song that is more like a thrush’s than a typical seedeater’s. Also gives a distinctive, high-pitched “seeeiiu” call. Similar to Reichard’s Seedeater, but has a different facial pattern, with a pale mark below the eye.